It is generally understood that firefighters, construction workers and rescue personnel can face some of the most extreme and demanding conditions in performing their duties. In carrying out their work, such personnel will commonly need to be able to access, work on, or escape from areas that are elevated or recessed, or otherwise inaccessible without special equipment. In order to safely access and carry out work in such locations, firefighters, construction workers and rescue personnel commonly rely on a personal safety belt or harness in order to fasten themselves to a ladder or rescue line. Indeed, personal belts and harnesses play such a critical role with respect to safety and operation that they are commonly considered to be standard operating equipment for fire and rescue personnel as well as for certain construction and industrial applications. Such equipment is commonly relied upon to bear the weight of the user and to carry and support gear or tools the user requires for the particular operation.
Typically, rescue personnel in an emergency response situation, will need to get into their equipment quickly. Known belts and harnesses can pose an obstacle in this respect as they are generally an additional piece of equipment that the user has to put on, fasten and adjust. This can sometimes be a time consuming and chaotic process causing the user undue stress and anxiety. In addition, depending on how they were left after their prior use, known belts and harnesses can commonly be twisted, knotted or otherwise in a disordered condition that the user will have to sort out before being able to put on. The additional time needed to sort out a disordered belt or harness can sometimes cost rescue personnel valuable minutes that are critical in responding the particular emergency condition.
In addition, known belts and harnesses are intended to be secured entirely over the user's outer clothing and thus have been known to twist or ride up on the user when the assembly is subjected to a load forces. Such unintended movement can interfere with the user's operations or could cause the user unintended injury or irritation.
Additionally, known belts and harnesses can be difficult to properly adjust by requiring the user to pull the loose end of a belt or strap in a backward or downward direction in which the user does not have sufficient leverage. In some instances, this can cause the belt or harness to not be sufficiently fastened around the user and can pose an extremely dangerous safety condition that could result in the user slipping out of the belt or harness during a particular operation. Maintaining proper tension of the belts and straps is especially important in the event of a head-first escape or bail out. Under such circumstances, belts and harnesses that require the user to reach back or down to tighten a particular strap or belt can become loose.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an easy to use escape/ladder belt and harness assembly that is a user can put on and out of quickly, and that has secure fastening capabilities that will maintain tension in any condition.